Seat construction



g 927. c. FREEMAN SEAT CONSTRUCTION Filed June 15. 1925 2 Sheets-.Sheet 1 l 1,639,371 Aug 16 1927' L.. c. FREEMAN SEAT CONSTRUCTION Filed June 15. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zand CIF/m72 Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

LOWELL C. FREEMAN, OF ZOETROIT, MICHIGAN, FORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A

PATENT OFFICE.

CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

SEAT CONSTRUCTION.

Application led June 15, 1925. Serial No. 37,328.

This invention relates generally to seat constructions and refers more particularly to a folding swivel seat construction designed for use beside the drivers seat in a motor vehicle body.

Oneofthe essential objects of the invention is to provide a. seat of this type which may be readily revolved from a position parallel to the median' line of the vehicle body to a position inclined o utwardly from the median line so that a relatively wide unobstructed passage will be provided between the seat and door jamb.

Another object is to provide a revoluble seat which maybe readily folded forwardly beneath the instrument board of the vehicle body so that'a relatively wide unobstructed passage will be provided between the folded seat and drivers seat to permit the dri'ver to move freely to or from his seat, andv clearance will be provided between the folded seat and transmission lever of the vehicle to permit the driver to shift gears without 'any interference.

A further object is to provide a neat and compact seat that is strong and durable in construction and that may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be. more fully described and particularly pointed out in l the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: v Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a vehicle body of the closed type equipped lwith a seatembodyin'g my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the supporting spider.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of thel view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

'FigureV 7 is a detail viewof one of the floor brackets.

Figure 8 is a top 'plan view of the construction shown in Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings the numeral 1 designates 'a vehicle body of the closed type having an instrument board 2 at the forward end thereof, a fixed transversely extending seat 3 at the rear end thereofI and suitable door openings 4 and 5 respectively in the sides 6 and 7 thereof, preferably adjacent to the instrument board 2. l

yLocated in rear of the instrument board 2 aietwo seats 8 and 9 preferably spaced laterally apart between thedoor openings 4 and 5. The seat 8 opposite 'to the door opening 4 is preferably the drivers seat and may be any construction desired, while the seat 9 opposite to the door opening 5 is designed to accommodate a passenger and is preferably of the folding revoluble type. a flat bottom or base 10 and a and. issupported above the Hoor 12 of the vehicle body by means of a suitable spider 13. The base 10' may be any suitable shape and may be constructed ferial, while the back 11 may likewise be constiucted in any suitable manner and may be hmgedly connected to the base 10 by any suitable means. As shown, the base 10 is preferably a malleable casting and conforms 1n shape to theshape of the upholstered body portion 14 ofthe seat, while the back 11 is preferably connected to the base 10 at the rear edge thereof by suitable hinge brackhinged back 11 ets 15.

. In order from. the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines A in Figure 1 of the drawings so that a free and unobstructed passage will be provided between the seat 9 and door jamb 16, the base 10 of the seat is preferably swiveled -upon, a ver-` tical spindle 17 extending longitudinally of a cylindrical enlargement 18 at the free end of the rearwardly projecting leg 19- of the spider 13. As shown, the base 10 of the seat has a central tapered opening 20 that receives the correspondingly tapered upper end portion 21.011' the spindle 17, While the latter is preferably mounted in standard Timken bearings located at opposite ends of the cylindrical enlargement 18. Any suitable means such as the cup-shaped sheet metal 'cap 22 may be secured to the lower end of the enlargement 18 to'conceal the lower end of the spindle 17 and the lower Timken bearings. As shown in Figure 2 of the As shown, this seat 9 hasv ASSIG'NOR ATO HUPP MOTOR CAR COR- respectively which are of any suitable madrawings, this cap 22- rests upon the floor 12 of the vehicle body when the seat 9 is in open or operative position.`

With this construction a suitable catch 23 is preferably provided for normally holding the seat 9 parallel to the median line of the vehicle body. As'shown, a pin 24 projects upwardly from the spider leg 19, preferably at the forward end thereof, and is adapted 4to be engaged by a horizontally pivoted arm 25. This arm 25 is pivoted at its rear end upon a vertical bolt 26 secured to the base 10 of the seat and is preferably provided at its forward free end with a lateral inclined shoulder 27 for engagement with the pin 24. To insure positive engagement of the shoulder 27 with the pin 24, I preferably provide a suitable spring 28 which normally holds the arm 25 against the depending lug 29 of a plate 30 which is secured to the base 10 of the seat. This spring 2S may be any suitable construction but preferably has a portion coiled about the bolt 26 and has an end portion 31 hooked over the outer edge of the horizontal arm`25. To facilitate engagement of the shoulder 27 with the pin 24, the arm 25 is preferably provided between the forward free end thereof and the shoulder 27 with an inclined edge portion 32 which serves as a cam for defiecting the arm 25 laterally preliminary to the shoulder 27 being forced by the spring 28 into latching engagement with the pin 24. Thus, with this construction, the seat 9 will normally be held in the position shown by full lines in Figure 1 of the drawings. However it may be readily turned to the position shown by dotted lines `A by merely exerting'suiiicient pressure on the seat in the directlon of the arrow shown in Figure 5 of the drawings' to cause the shoulder 27 of the arm 25 to become disengaged from the in `24. If desired, this may be accomplis ed by the passenger while on the seat 9. When the seat 9 is turned back to the full line position shown in Figure 1,' the shoulder27 of the arm 25 will automatically move into latching engagement with the pin 24 to hold the seat in proper position.

When not inA use the seat 9 is preferably folded forwardly beneath the instrument board 2 of the vehicle body. To accomplish this the forward legs 33 of the spider are hingedly connected -to suitable floor brackets 34 by means of horizontal transverselyextending pins 35. As shown in Figure 7 of the drawings these brackets 34 have U-shaped heads 35 that receive the feet 33 of the spider and have depending Shanks 36 which extend through the floor 12 of the vehicle body and are held in position by suitable nuts 37. Thus, when itis desired to move the seat 9 forwardly, the back 11 thereof is first folded over the upholstered body 14,

whereupon the seat.9 may be folded for- -scope of what is claimed wardly beneath the instrument board 2 as shown by dotted lines B in Figure 1 of the drawings. WVhen in this position a relatively Widc passage is provided between the drivers seat 8 and adjacent corner of the folded seat 9. Moreover sufficient clearance is provided between the folded seat 9 and transmission lever 38 `of the vehicle to permit the said lever to be operated without any interference. f

Thus, from the foregoing description, it-

will be readily apparent that the seat 9 may be readily turned atan angle to the median line of the vehicle body to provide a clear passage which may be used for entering or leaving the vehicle body. JAlso it will be apparent that this may be accomplished by a passenger while on said seat without obstructing the passage referred to. Moreover the drivers seat 8 is spaced a suiiicient distance from the nearest ioor bracket 34 to provide a passage between the seats 8 and 9 which may be used by the driver when going to or from his seat. Furthermore the arrangement is such that when the seat 9 is folded, a sufficient passage is provided between the seats 8 and 9 to move freely to or from lhis seat. Inasmuch as the swivel mounting .for the seat 9 is carried by the ioor brackets 25 it will also be apparent that the space in rear of the seat 9 when folded will be fr`ee of any objectionable obstructions.

While it is believed that yfrom the fore-i going description the nature and advantages ofthe invention will b e readily apparent, I

-desire to have it understood'that I do not limit myself to what herein shown and described, and that, such changes may be resorted to when desired. as fall within the What I claim as my invention' is:

1. The combination with a'vehicle body i having a door board, of a spider mounted on said floor board and having a rearwardly projecting leg, an enlargement at the free end of said leg adapted to rest on said floor board, a spindle mounted in said enlargement, and a seat mounted to rotate on said spindle. f

2. Theq combination with a vehicle body having afloor board, of a spider hingedly mountedon said floor'board and having a. rearwardly projectin leg, an enlargement at the free end of sai leg, a spindle mounted in said enlargement and having a tapered end portion, and a seat having a base provided with a tapered opening receiving the tapered end portion of said spindle. 3. The combination with a vehicle body having a floor board, of a spider hingedly mounted on said floor board havin a rearwardly projecting le a revolu ly seat mounted on said spi er, and cooperatin elements carried respectively by said leg an on. said floor boar seat normally holding the latter in a predetermined position.- v

4. The combination fwith a vehicle body having a floor board and a revoluble seat having a base, of .a s ider hngedly mounted having a rearwardly projecting leg, a pin` carried by said le anda catch carried by the base engageab e with the pin for normally holding -the seat in a redeterminedposition.

5. he 4combination with a vehicle body having 'a floor board and a revoluble seat having a base, ofaspider hingedly mounted on said floor board, a pin projecting u wardl'yffromfsaid spiii, anarm pivot/al y mounted on said base and havin an inclined shoulder engageable with said pm, and yieldable means associated with said pivot for normally holding-said arm against said pin. 6. The combination with flooring of a vehicle body, a spider hingedly mountedon y hicle body, a spider hingedly mounted onsaid flooring and having a portion at its free end adapted to rest on said flooring, a

spindle journaled in said portion, and a'seat 30 idly secured to said s indle n test'ony whereof afix my signature.

' LOWELL c. FREEMAN. 

